Bat Mitigation for Site Development
Project Area
Ecology
Specialism
Protected Species Mitigation & Translocation
Year
2023
At this site, development works involved re-roofing the entire building as well as landscaping works within the garden.
Bat activity surveys revealed several day roosts and a maternity roost of common pipistrelle bats while DNA obtained from droppings in a void provided evidence of a brown long-eared bat roost. We also found low numbers of green lizards, common toads and palmate newts were present. Herring gulls also nested on the roof, so we had a lot of protected wildlife to consider.
With a complex situation like this an extensive Species Protection Plan was required, which included strict timing constraints and safe working methods to avoid direct harm and minimise disturbance to these species.
The roofs and hanging tiles were dismantled in October after bat maternity season and gull nesting season and before bat hibernation. This work was supervised by two licensed members of our team who were on hand to rescue any bats if needed and safely transfer them to bat boxes erected in the adjacent woodland. Whenever possible, bats were left in place to relocate overnight to an alternative roost site of their own accord with the minimum of stress. As the photos show, there was a lot of bat evidence found during the roof strip!
Our team also supervised deconstruction of granite walls in the garden to ensure amphibians and lizards were not harmed.
The new building design incorporates multiple features suitable for roosts of both bat species present on site. These include integrated bat boxes, soffit and fascia gaps as well as a bat loft. Several bat boxes, including some suitable for large roosts have been erected in the nearby woodland so the bats will have plenty of options!
New granite walls will also be created in the garden with lots of gaps to provide suitable habitat for reptiles and amphibians.
Highlight Projects
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Living Wall - Corbiere
In order to demonstrate environmental gain in the Coastal National Park, our client included a living wall as part of their Planning Application for an extension.
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Nude Dunes - St Ouen's Bay
Protected wildlife translocation and sand dune habitat creation. This site located within the Coastal National Park was to be converted into a new beachside café.
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Green Retaining Wall - St Brelade's Bay
An engineered vegetated retaining wall system, created to replace a bank and wall that were subsiding due to high-tide wave erosion.
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Re-Development - Les Ruisseaux Estate
A private development with close proximity to a Nature Reserve, whereby full re-development of the house, gardens and pond were approved.
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Conway Tower - Wayside, St Brelade's Bay
Protected wildlife translocation and sand dune habitat creation for a 500m2 coastal strip around the former Wayside Café.
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Historic Farm Complex - St Ouen
Ecological surveys of this farm complex in St Ouen found Protected Species and wildlife use that required mitigation to achieve Planning Permission.
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Samarés Nurseries Re-Development
Large redundant glasshouse site with high populations of Protected Species groups present. Habitat re-creation and wildlife re-homed to specially created receptor sites.
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Bat Mitigation for Site Development
Protected species mitigation and translocation in development project that involved a full re-roof and extensive re-landscaping work.
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Wildlife Zone - Les Quennevais School
Agricultural fields re-zoned to accommodate the new school. Demonstration of environmental gain as a result of the development required.
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Heathland Restoration - Wolf's Caves
The Planning Application to build a new home at Wolf’s Caves included an element to restore the coastal slopes in front of the property to species rich heathland.
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Wildlife Pond & Waterfall - Daisy Hill
Large wildlife pond creation in a domestic garden to attract a variety of wildlife. Our client also wanted to create a natural looking stream and waterfall leading into the pond.
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Planning in the Coastal National Park
Proposed demolition of a private house within the Coastal National Park where an Ecological Assessment and Species Protection Plan were reuiqred for Planning.
